


It's Been Five Hours Are We There Yet?

by indefensibleselfindulgence



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Fluff, Humor, M/M, Napping, Pining, Road Trips, Traveling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-15
Updated: 2018-05-15
Packaged: 2019-05-07 01:39:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14660664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/indefensibleselfindulgence/pseuds/indefensibleselfindulgence
Summary: Traveling by cart is really the only way to go.





	It's Been Five Hours Are We There Yet?

**Author's Note:**

> can i get an ouch from the audience for episode 18 
> 
> read my user name i made this account special
> 
> not beta'd

  
Molly never minded traveling.  
  
In the two years, he's been alive, he's been to lots of places with the circus and lots of places with his new friends. Sometimes he walked, sometimes he rode. It never really mattered one way or the other to him.  
  
When he was with the circus, he had his own wagon. Okay- it wasn't really his wagon, because he didn't have enough shit to fill a full wagon, but he was usually in charge of one wagon. And it was usually the same one. So. Sometimes Yasha rode with him. Sometimes Bo did. Sometimes it was the twins.  
  
It was always more comfortable with other people. Light conversation filled long stretches of road, and he didn't even need someone to answer him. Molly was a great talker. Could talk for hours, about anything. He'd get a smile on the other person's face eventually. And that was enough to carry him for miles.  
  
The Mighty Nein was a different story.  
  
One cart for six or seven people was more... difficult.  
  
Didn't help any that the cart was uncomfortable as all get out.  
  
Nott or Fjord or Jester would steer the horse, and the rest of them were relegated to the back. Sometimes Beau would get antsy and walk alongside it to give the horses at least a small break. But other then that, nothing changed. Molly was stuck in the back, not that it was any better.  
  
Caleb was also permanently relegated to the back right corner. He didn't seem to mind it any, nose in a book, tucked into an awkward position surrounded by everyone's stuff. Sometimes his legs even hung out the back, dangling in the wind and bumping the end of the cart.  
  
It was dull as dirt, sure, and Molly could put up with it. They'd talk about random garbage every now and again, but most conversations were meant for one or two people.  
  
He was never tired enough to take short naps because it sure as fuck wasn't comfortable enough to just sprawl out for someone his size.  
  
Nott fit into Caleb's lap just fine. He'd lift his book, and she'd just slide in and be asleep in five minutes. Maybe the next time Yasha traveled with them, he'd ask if he could sleep on her.  
  
The day's trip had been a long one. Only five hours but it felt like ten. It's overcast, so at least the sun isn't beating down on them. Molly doesn't know why they don't have a top. It would help in so many different ways. Maybe in the next village.  
  
Jester, Fjord, and Beau are in front, Beau and Fjord trying to teach Jester how to ride a horse. Nott is curled in Caleb's lap, Frumpkin is on his knees, staring out at the road behind them.  
  
“Nightmare huh?” He whispers.  
  
“Oh- Mmhm.” Caleb doesn't look up, and Molly isn't even sure he heard him.  
  
“I mean, isn't your ass killing you?”  
  
“No more than usual.” Molly snorts and leans his head back and out of the cart, staring at the slow-moving road.  
  
“Come on.” He turns back to look at him. “Wouldn't a carriage be nicer?”  
  
“Wouldn't know.” Caleb looks up for a brief moment, probably judging him. “Did they have a lot of... carriages in the circus.”  
  
“Nope. But a man can dream, Caleb. A man can dream.”  
  
There's no real reaction from him. Instead he turns his head back down at his book and Molly is left in silence again. Jester is on one of the horses, nervous shrieks of excitement cover the field they're in. He's not going to ask how much longer they have. And it's still early for lunch. Probably. The later they eat it the later they'll have dinner, the later they go to sleep.  
  
There's a quiet whimpering that makes Molly turn back to look at the other two again. Caleb's book is closed, out of his hands at least and Molly can't see it in the mountain of junk they lug around.  
  
The wizard's hands are in Nott's hair. He has to look around and even though the other three are just four feet away, Caleb and Nott look like they're in their own world.  
  
Molly watches silently. It feels wrong, voyeuristic, but he's never been great at minding his own business anyway.  
  
Caleb shushes Nott like she really is his daughter. He runs his hands through her hair, gentle enough as to not wake her, but reassuring, probably. Maybe he's doing it to get the tangles out. Nott was using Caleb's cloak as a pillow, but he lifts her head off of it and settles her down on his chest before uncurling it and covering her.  
  
It's fascinating. Molly knew he cared. Obviously, they're both attached at the hip but, seeing it like this, so unfiltered-  
  
Over his cloak, Caleb holds her tightly and keeps whispering to her. Half of it is common; the other half in Zemnian. He might even be humming a lullaby at her.  
  
Through it all, Molly watches completely enraptured.  
  
We're his parents kind to him when he was a child, he wonders? What was his childhood even like? It's not like he cares, but some part of him hopes it was kind enough for moments like these. Probably not, who was he kidding. What kind of healthy childhood puts a person in the dirt?  
  
The nightmare doesn't seem to be letting up any and Caleb sighs, shaking her awake.  
  
Nott startles with a shriek that sets Frumpkin off of his spot and up on the rim of the cart.  
  
“It's alright,” Caleb tells her. “We're fine.” No- not her, Fjord looks over his shoulder and Beau is leaning over the front of the cart. “Don't let us bother you.”  
  
As soon as they turn around, Frumpkin steps onto Caleb's shoulders to get a better spot to lick at Nott's face. Molly's pretty sure he's still holding her.  
  
“Caleb- I'm sorry I distracted you from-”  
  
“It's alright, Nott.”  
  
“But-”  
  
“It's fine.” He insists, lifting a hand to her head. “Go back to sleep.” The cloak is bunched in a heap. “You'll keep watch later; it'll be fine. We'll even out, ja?”  
  
“...If you say so.” She seems very reluctant until Caleb nods again. She nods back, almost like she's testing the water and when Caleb repeats the gesture again, she lays against his chest. “Caleb?”  
  
“Yes Nott?”  
  
“You should get some sleep too.”  
  
“Maybe later, when I am finished, I've got-”  
  
“Another chapter, I know.” Molly can't see it, but he hears the smile on her face. “Try, alright?”  
  
“Alright, yes. Promise.” He insists. “Good night.”  
  
“Mm. Good night, Caleb.”  
  
Molly watches her settles back in like she's a bigger Frumpkin, Caleb's hand on her back and soon enough her light snores fill the cart. The book comes out again, and he holds it with his left hand now, somehow turning the pages without moving his other hand.  
  
Probably magic.  
  
It might actually just be magic.  
  
“That's impressive,” Molly says, and Caleb looks at him like he forgot he's there. “The-” He points at the book. “The reading. One handed.”  
  
“Oh- yes. A very sought after skill, I am sure.” Molly smiles and looks past him at a small cluster of trees.  
  
“She trusts you. That's also very impressive.”  
  
“Why wouldn't she?” He doesn't even lift his gaze this time. “I'm a very trustworthy person.”  
  
Molly laughs. It's almost a little rude.  
  
“She's right, though. Reading too much is going to damage your eyes.”  
  
“Will it?” The book looks heavy, thick in his hand. Molly shrugs.  
  
“No skin off my bones what you want to do.”  
  
“Good,” Caleb says and flips a page. Molly thinks it was probably for emphasis. “Too uncomfortable to sleep anyway. Not like we're in a carriage.”  
  
“No, this is not a carriage.” Molly looks at the cart and sticks one leg out, between Caleb and their bags and aggressively slides the packs over until there's enough room for him too fit, and in an instant, he's in Caleb's space.  
  
He can feel the warmth radiating off of him. It would be nice if this side of the cart weren't even harder on his ass. Probably because he moved. His tail coils around his left leg and he tilts his head, horns bumping Caleb's forehead, ever so gently.  
  
He can't remember the last time he's ever seen a person go so still before.  
  
No, that's a lie, the memory of Caleb in the cave comes up almost immediately, locked in whatever trauma spiral he was in.  
  
“What are you doing?” It's so quiet; Molly doesn't even realize it's coming from the wizard.  
  
“You can lean your head on my shoulder.”  
  
“And Why would I Want to do that?” Caleb's voice is just a little bit higher than usual, and Molly delights in it.  
  
“So you can get some rest.”  
  
“Mm.” Caleb is starring straight ahead; book abandoned in such a way that Molly is almost worried it might fall over the edge of the cart.  
  
“You don't have too,” Molly tells him, but he has zero intention of moving back to his side.  
  
“Mm.”  
  
Molly leans back and closes his eyes. It's almost silent, nothing but the creak of the wagon and the clomp of hooves in dirt and Nott's light snoring and Jester giggling about something Fjord must have told her. He feels a weight in his lap, and it's obvious it's Frumpkin when it starts purring.  
  
It's not his own wagon with the circus, but he could get used to this.  
  
After what must be an hour of just enjoying the breeze, he feels hair on his face. Not his own hair, mind. He opens his eyes, and dirty ginger hair tickles his nose. He moves his head away, just a little to give Caleb more shoulder room.  
  
Time must have worn him down.  
  
Molly can't blame him.  
  
Caleb is still warm.  
  
When he wakes up what must be several hours later, it's dark out. The chill has set in, and every single joint in his body feels way too heavy to be comfortable. A fire crackles behind him, and when he blinks awake, Jester is sitting in front of him, furiously drawing.  
  
Probably drawing him asleep.  
  
Scratch that, drawing both of them sleeping.  
  
The most shocking thing about the situation was Caleb, who had somehow moved, half curled around him. Nott isn't anywhere to be seen, so the answer presented itself fairly quickly. Caleb's cloak covered both of their legs. Nott must have moved it or maybe it was the wind at some point.  
  
A stiff breeze picks up, and Caleb presses into Molly's side even harder.  
  
“Awww.” Jester stage whispers, before turning her drawing over for Molly to look at.  
  
“That's quite good.” He tells her quietly. “You got my good side. I mean, every side is my good side, but you definitely got the better one."  
  
“Mmhm! I'm very talented."  
  
Caleb only barely stirs.  
  
“Soon as you're done cuddling, come get dinner.” Fjord calls over to both of them.  
  
“Soon as my limbs are relinquished to me, I'd love too.” Beau chuckles behind him, and Molly watches Jester do finishing touches before jumping off of the edge like a kid and going to show Fjord. The shake must jostle Caleb awake because he goes entirely and utterly still again.  
  
His hair frames his face very nicely.  
  
“Where are we?” Caleb whispers, he almost sounds terrified.  
  
“I don't know.” Molly answers. “Where are we?”  
  
“Middle of nowhere!” Beau shouts back, and that's enough to get Caleb to sit upright, rubbing at his face. He looks around, very deer in lantern lights before shaking his head.  
  
“Where's Nott?”  
  
“Went hunting.” Jester calls. “I made a drawing off you, do you want to see it?”  
  
Caleb seemingly ignores her and just blinks in the dark.  
  
“You fell asleep,” Molly tells him. Like he's soothing a wild animal. “We both did. We're just further up the road, probably.”  
  
“Further up the road.” He mumbles.  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
Caleb whispers something in Zemnian before getting up and groaning. Molly can't blame him. His own body is probably going to shut down the second he gets up.  
  
“Want to get dinner?”  
  
“I- Yes. Ja, that's fine.” Molly watches him pull out his wire and whisper into it. When he gets his answer from Nott, he visibly calms down. “Ja, dinner is fine.”  
  
“Shall we then?” Molly get's up slowly, and would you look at that he was right. Everything hurts. Mostly his ass, but his back is going to be sore for days after this.  
  
It was worth it though, he thinks, as he watches Caleb sit down by the fire and Nott come bounding out of the tall glass with rabbits.  
  
"We have any drinks?" His back creaks.  
  
"I wish." Fjord pats the spot next to him and Molly goes.  
  
"Does your ass hurt, Caleb?" Jester drapes herself over him.  
  
"Leave him a-"  
  
"I bet it does!" Beau laughs and Jester rolls over.  
  
Caleb smiles, probably despite himself, when Nott offers him something from her flask.  
  
Yeah, Molly thinks.  
  
He could get used to it.

**Author's Note:**

> comments always appreciated
> 
> come [yell at me](http://iamalivenow.tumblr.com/)


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